Sign



|. NACHUMSOHN July 2, 1935.

SIGN

Filed March 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 2, 1935. 1. NACHUMSQHN 2,006,999

SIGN

Filed March 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 oooo o (QM anion MMM Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in electric signs and apparatus therefor and more particularly to such types of devices or systems in which a predetermined array of letters, words or other signals, illuminatably displayed on a surface, is caused to appear to travel across said surface while being viewed.

One object-of my invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the large multiplicity of slidably operated contacts commonly employed in such devices is eliminated. Another object is to provide an improved method and means of making and breaking electrical circuits. Other objects are to provide a novel and simple method of storing permutations comprising a message or signal during the interval in which said signal is caused to illuminate the sign and to provide improved means to move the stored permutations with respect to the electrical terminals or circuits of the lamps which 'comprise.

the sign. A still further object is to provide a sign or display device which may be controlled by an associate manually operated keyboard in a similar manner to which printing telegraph sys-- tems employ keyboard transmitters or perforators in the transmission of messages. In the present instance the permutations, set up by means of a. keyboard, are stored in a moving storing device which travels over and forms a portion of the switching mechanism used to selectively illuminate the lamps of the sign. Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification progresses and the novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In my invention the keyboard is arranged to operate in conjunction with the storing mechanism and the latter, in turn, with the electric lamp'switches of the'luminous display board, in

sucha manner that-anoperator may continuously transmit a mssagesuch as for example,

"newsitems; election returns, etc., and the message will' appeanto travel across the displayboard .aas fast ,as. it is transmitted. There is also a, cutout or stop device. between the keyboard member and. the: storing mechanism operated .in such a m'a'nner that vin the; event, .the operator should function and start the storing mechanism so as tracks are electrically continuous. throughout their respective lengths and are allconnected. to

to cause the remainder of the message being transmitted to travel across the display field.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a view of the display board of the sign; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the combined storing and lamp switching mecha- 5 nism; Fig. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a, fragmentary section along line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section along line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing an elevation of the automatic starting and stopping mechanism and the cooperation between the various control elements; Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram showing the connections between the tape and the solenoids of the storing mechanism; Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram disclosing the connections be-, 1 tween the storing mechanism and the lamps and 5 Fig. 9 is a sectional view of one of the solenoids.

In the preferred form the means for storing predetermined permutations of elements, which represent the signals or characters to be displayed by the field of lamps, is shown as a plurality of balls I. Since these spherical members are made of a suitable electrical conductive material such as carbon, steel, bronze or copper, they are used directly in and form part of the electrical circuits of the lamps.

The balls are in rollable contact over a plurality of substantially parallel conductive tracks in such a manner that these spherical conductors serve to connect two adjacent tracks together, thereby completing the circuit between a source of current and the lamps. In Fig. 8 the current is shown supplied over a 3-wire system, in which conductor N is the neutral or common return wire for both outer wires L and L The tracks are therefore electrically arranged inthe same manner as the supply circuit, i. e'., in each set of 3 adjacent tracks there is a track 2 that'is common to two outerv tracks 3. The common I the common return wire N. The outer tracks are made up of short electrically independent lengths 3. Thus, still' referring to Fig. 8 in--particular,- inwhich .the eight lamps represent a .verti- '4 cala'row of "lampsof 'thedisplay iboalrd, ilkwill a ear obvious-how the-two balls l .will; se stop manipulating. themkeyboard for agcertain, pp can length ofwtime+even1 ifthe pause occurs in the -middle of a message+the display board Willi-C011- v al et display :the; portion of :the. message-.lal-i ready sews the "storing gmecha'nismiuntil the. H perator'again" resumes manipulation of thekey "board, 'whreu o'n th'e cut-out mechanism --willterial by mea'ns of screws-6, as shown in Figs: 3,24 and 5;- throughswhich screwsielectpical connection may sbe'made to-the respectivertracksi, The lamps '4, Fig. 1, are preferably spaced from 7 one another uniformly,

thereby forming vertical as well as horizontal rows, and are mounted on a display board I in any suitable manner. For example, if the lamps are of the filamentary type shown in Fig. 8 they may be provided with screw bases and screwed into sockets mounted on the panel 1 in a well known manner. If they are gaseous conduction lamps or tubes, they may be mounted on the panel 1 in accordance with any of the present methods of mounting such lamps or tubes. Any type of lamp practical for this purpose may therefore be used and mounted in any suitable manner. The lamps indicated as being illuminated in Fig. lare shown by the solid black circles.-

In Fig. 2 there will be seen eight horizontal rows of track segments 3, forming 8 outer tracks above referred to, and four intermediate center tracks 2. Each horizontal outer track has the respective segments thereof connected to corresponding lamps of each horizontal row of lamps of the display field. The lamps in each horizontal row have a common return wire and alternate horizontal rows have their return wires connected together, thereby forming two ultimate return circuits, one of which is connected to line wire L and the other to line wire L as shown in Fig. 8. This arrangement tends to balance the load taken from the two circuits of the three-wire supply system shown in Fig. 8.

Corresponding segments .1 of the respective outer tracks are arranged in rows-extending at right angles to the tracks, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus, for example, if eight balls are placed on the tracks in a row extending transversely of the direction of the tracks, the corresponding vertical row of eight lamps on the area I will become illuminated representing the letter I. It is also manifest that if provision is made to maintain these eight balls in a lateral row during longitudinal progression of the balls along the respective tracks that the said letter I would appear to travel longitudinally of the area 1. Such provision, forming an important part of my improvement, has therefore been made, whereby the balls may be kept in any predetermined relative arrangement during their longitudinal progression along the tracks.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, two shafts 8 and 9 are provided being rotatably mounted in bearings (not shown) near the ends of the track supporting board 5. Fastened on and near the ends of each of said shafts is a sprocket or chain-wheel ID, the wheels on corresponding sides of the board 5 being connected together by means of two conveyor chains ll. Thus both chains lie parallel to one another and travel at the same speed, causing the shaft 8, rotated as will hereinafter be explained, to drive the shaft 9. Disposed transversely of the contact tracks heretofore described and in parallel relation to one another is a plurality of transverse bars l2, the ends of each of which are fastened to laterally opposite links of the respective chains H. These transverse bars I2, which are made of a suitable dielectric or non-conducting material such as phenolic condensation material or hard rubber, are separated from each other by distances approximating the length of the individual track segments 3. The chains II are continuous and carry the spaced bars l2' throughout their entire length. Thus, about half of the bars i2 travel over the tracks in a direction from right to left in Figs. 2 and 3 during the counter-clockwise rotation of the shafts 8 and 9, and the remaining bars travel in the opposite direction on the bottom side of the board 5. The balls are of such diameter as to fit rollably between adjacent bars l2 during the movement of the latter.

Having now described a system for rolling predetermined permutations of the balls along their respective tracks while maintaining their original arrangement with respect to one another, I will now describe the means employed for collecting the balls after they reach the ends of the respective tracks as well as the preferred mechanism for setting up the balls in any desired permutations, such as, for example, to form characters as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be noted with reference to Fig. 3- that when the balls I reach the extreme left ends of the tracks they will, by virtue of their own weight, drop upon an inclined return chute H, which chute is provided with a plurality of channels 15 of semicircular cross section, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Made integrally with the lowermost portion of said chute and in communication with the respective channels thereof is a plurality of vertically disposed tubes IS, the uppermost ends of which are in communication with respective funnel-shaped hoppers ll.

A counter-shaft l8, Figs. 3 and 5, rotatably mounted by means of two bearings l9, has in fixed relation thereon a plurality of toothed wheels 20. Each of these wheels is arranged to rotate adjacent the lowermost portion of the respective channels IS in such a manner as to receive the balls individually between adjacent teeth thereof and force the balls up the respective tubes Hi from which they will fall into respective hoppers II. It is to be observed that the lower portion 2| of the tube 16 shown in Fig. 3

,may be made to extend lower than the position shown, if desired, by having a portion of the tube slotted in order to receive the teeth 20 during their rotation. The counter-shaft I8 is driven by the shaft 9 through the medium of a drive chain 22 which chain engages a suitable sprocket wheel fastened on each of said shafts.

Means to selectively release the balls from the lower ends of the hoppers onto the respective tracks is provided in a plurality of electromagnets or solenoids 22, Figs. 3, 7 and 9. Said solenoid coils have plunger rods 23 axially slidable therein, said rods being movable in one direction by solenoid plungers 24 and in the opposite direction by means of compression springs 25. The plunger rods are rigidly fastened into the ferromagnetic cores 24 in any suitable manner such as, for example, by means of screw threads.

Fastened directly under the row of hoppers l1 and at a distance below the lower openings thereof which is slightly greater than the diameter of the balls, is a laterally disposed horizontal strip, or plate, 26, Figs. 3, 5 and 7. Said plate prevents the balls from entering upon the tracks without first being pushed forward by means of the solenoid plunger rods 23. Thus each time a solenoid 22 is energized, as will be hereinafter explained, a ball is pushed off the plate 26 and is permitted to fall upon its associate track. An arcuate guard plate 21 is fastened to the lower ends of the hoppers as shown in Fig. 3 and serves to direct the balls downwardly and between two adjacent bars l2 when the solenoids operate.

By selectively operating the eight solenoids during longitudinal progression of the parallel bars I2, different permutations of balls may be established between adjacent bars 12 and the corresponding lamps of the display board I will become illuminated andappear to travel across said board. Thus each vertical row of 8 lamps, permutatively illuminated, may represent a signal character such as would be used,for example, in an 8-unit telegraph code. Moreover, different vertical rows, such as a plurality of adjacent rows, may be combined to form composite signals, designs, figures, or the letters such as shown in Fig. 1.

Fastened on so as to rotate with shaft 8 is a gear wheel 28 which is constantly in mesh with a drive pinion 29. Said pinion, fastened on shaft 30, serves to drive gear wheel 28 through the medium of a friction clutch through which clutch a motor M drives the shaft 30. Said clutch mechanism comprises a cam disc 3| rigidly fastened on the shaft 30. Adjacent said disc and in frictional contact therewith is another disc 32 rotatably mounted relative thereto and made integrally with a sleeve 33. Said sleeve fits rotatably and axially slidable on the shaft 30 and has at the other end thereof another disc 34 also made integrally therewith. A compression spring 35 is held pressed against disc 34 by means of a collar 36 which is rigidly fixed'relative to the shaft. The axial pressure thus exerted by the spring serves to keep the contacting faces of the discs 3| and 32 in frictional engagement with suiiicient pressure to permit both discs to rotate together as long as the former one is not held against rotation by the armature to be described. A motor M has a worm 31 fastened on the shaft thereof and the rotation of said shaft causes the worm to turn a worm gear 38, which gear is made integrally with the sleeve 33 in order that said sleeve and gear may at all times rotate together.

Means for stopping the rotation of the cam 3| and therefore the shaft 30, while permitting continued rotation of the motor through the medium of the friction clutch heretofore described, is provided in an armature 39 pivotally mounted at 40 to a magnetic yoke 4|. An electromagnet 42, fastened to' the yoke, is arranged, when energized, to move the armature about its pivotal support upwardly. The weight of said armature, when the magnet coil 42 is de-energized, causes the former to drop and'slidably ride upon the peripheral surface of the cam 3| until one of the two indentations 43' of said cam contact with the detent edge of the armature, whereupon the rotation of the shaft 30 will abruptly cease.

Any one of a number of methods may be employed to selectively energize the eight solenoids 22 in different combinations. For example, they may be operated either locally or remotely through .eight wires 10 (Fig. 7) having a common return circuit These wires may be selectively energized directly from a manually-controlled keyboard so that different keys thereof, when depressed, will energize different permutations of circuits, in accordance with a predetermined arrangement. I

In another method of selective operation such as constitutes the subject-matter of my co-pend ing application Serial No. 423,469, filed January 25, 1930, theeight solenoids 22 may bev connected to a distributor having 8 stationary commutator segments respectively connected to the wires 10.

A rotating receiving brush moving in synchronism with a remotely located transmitting brush, which brushes are connected together by a signalling channel, or linewire, receives current in accordance with theselective energizing of the transmitter commutator segments, thus operating the eight solenoids selectively, in a manner similar to which present day printing telegraph systems operate a plurality of electromagnets or instrumentalities over a single line circuit. Thus the eight solenoids may be remotely controlled.

over one channel of a radio or wired circuit.

In the present instance the solenoids 22 are selectively energized in different combinations by means of a moving ribbon or tape 44 made of paper or other insulation material and having holes 45 perforated therein, in accordance with the signals desired to be transmitted. This tape, or record, travels over a conducting plate 45 which is in electrical connection with a source of current 41. There is also a row of eight contact fingers, or springs, 48 disposed laterally of the record and arranged to press downwardly on. said record during the longitudinal progression thereof, in order that the round perforations 45 of the tape will permit said springs 48 to contact with the plate 46 thus completing the circuits from the battery 41 to the respective solenoids 22. In other words each perforation in the tape will release one ball and cause same to be deposited upon the moving carrying mechanism heretofore described, in a position corresponding to the position of the hole in the tape.

The tape 44 passes over the plate 46 at such speed relative to the travel of the storing mechanism that for the advancement of each lateralbar 2 of the latter the tape will feed one step forward, which is equivalent to the distance between centers of two adjacent perforations, as holes 45'.

Means for longitudinally advancing the tape in steps is shown in Fig. 6 and comprises a ratchet wheel 49 rotated clockwise by means of pawl 50. Said pawl is pivotally mounted on an armature 5| so that each time the electromagnet 52 attracts said armature, against the action of a spring 53, a feed-wheel 54 which rotates with .the ratchet wheel will advance the tape one step to the right. Said feed-wheel has teeth thereon which mesh. with a center row of rectangular feed holes 55 of the record and a roller 56 at all times keeps the tape in contact with the feed-wheel.

The shaft 30 has a cam 51 rotating therewith and the speed of rotation of said shaft and therefore said cam is such relative to the movement of the lateral bars I2 that for each bar advanced during rotation of the shaft 30 a pair of contacts 58 is closed once, by means of said cam 51. The contacts, upon closing, complete the circuit between battery 59 and electromagnet 52, thus advancing the tape 44 forward one step for each lateral bar I2 advanced.

The tape or record 44 may be prepared in any manner desired such as by means of a perforator of the construction disclosed in Swiss Patent No. 114,018, and in the present instance a keyboard perforator 60, similar to the perforators employed for preparing tape used in printing telegraphy, may be employed. One example of such a tape preparing machine is shown and described in Patent No. 1,182,179, issued to Chas. L. Krum and Howard L. Krum. This particular device4s designed to prepare a tape with five longitudinal rows of perforations (apart from the feed-holes) and I may, if desired, use a broader tape in a device of this character capable of punching eight rows of holes, in an obvious manner.

In using such a perforatorfor my record'preparing device 50 (Fig. 6) it will be notedthat at each depression of one of the finger keys thereof but one row of transverse permutations is perforated in the tape and the latter is fed but one step forward or a distance equivalent to two adjacent feed-holes. Therefore some characters will require more key operations than others. For example, let it be assumed that the finger keys of member 60 are marked in a similar manner to the markings on the faces of any standard typewriter keyboard; and that the horizontal rows of holes are numbered (for present identifying purposes) from 1 to 8 consecutively, starting at the bottom of the tape. In an obvious manner the permutations may be arrangedsuch that by depressing letter Y, for example, hole 8 will be perforated, holes I to I of this vertical row remaining blank. Likewise, letter G will perforate holes I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, I, 8, or a complete row. Then, in order to make up the first letter T shown in Fig. 1, the following order of keys will be depressed: YYYGYYY. If depressing key-lever U causes hole 5 to be perforated, then the second letter H may be perforated by transmitting GUUUG. Likewise the third letter I would correspond to G alone. If key F, for further illustration, perforates holes 2, 6, 1, key X holes I, 5, I, and key V holes 2, 3, l, I, then the fourth letter S would be made up of FXXXV If the spacing bar lever is used to advance the tape one feed hole, without punching any lamp-selecting holes, then the respective characters and successive words may be separated by one or more barspace impressions.

While this method of transmission requires that each character, with the-exception of letter I, be a composition of more than one keyimpression, it possesses the unique advantage, when used as described, of permitting the operator to vary the size and shape of the sign characters. For example, if the second letter H requires emphasis, the operator may elongate same by transmitting it as GUUUUUG or GGUUUGG. Likewise, GUG would display this letter very slender indeed. Moreover this method permits the operator to transmit an almost endless number of other characters, shapes or designs, such as the arrowhead shown on the display field in Fig. 1, without the necessity of a special key for each different impression.

If such a perforator is used and should the operator who manipulates the keyboard thereof stop feeding the tape or feed same at a slower rate than the feed-wheel 54 tends to advance it, the tape would easily become torn due to the pulling thereof by the feed-wheel. However, as shown in Fig. 6, such conditions are taken care of by the provision of an automatic stop mechanism comprising an inverted casing 5| having entrant and exit openings 62 through which the tape passes.

Said stop mechanism has two guide rollers 63 rotatably mounted on the support 6| thereof adjacent the openings 62. A third roller 64 is rotatably mounted at one end of an arm 65 and the other end of said arm is pivotally supported at 66 to the support member 6|. Intermediate of the two ends of the arm 65 is an electrical contact 61 insulated from said arm. An associate contact 68, supported by the member 6|, engages the movable contact 61 due to the weight of the roller GI and arm 65, thereby normally completing the electrical circuit between a battery 69 and the electromagnet 2. With the circuit thus completed the armature 39 is normally out of contact with the cam 3| and the shaft 30 is permitted to rotate in the manner heretofore described. As soon as the supply of tape, the

excess of which normally hangs below and therefore out of contact with the roller 64, between the contact plate 46 and the perforator 60 reaches a certain minimum the tension exerted thereon due to the rotation of the feed-wheel 54 will cause the tape to contact with the periphery of the roller 64 thereby lifting said roller upwardly and simultaneously opening the circuitbetween battery 69 and magnet 42 due to the separation of the contacts 61 and 68. Thus when a tension is exerted on the tape the feeding thereof is interrupted because the shaft 30 ceases to rotate and the contacts 58 consequently remain open, until said tension is relieved, whereupon said contacts close twice during each revolution of the cam 51.

It'will be manifest that due to the rolling contact between the balls and tracks, the friction and resultant wear is almost negligible, especially when compared with switching arrangements heretofore employed in such devices which make and break all of the sign circuits slidably and directly by means of the tape. In my improvement there are only eight such contacts while the comparatively large number of sign circuits are controlled by the rolling and practically wearless contacts. Moreover, even if an element of wear would exist in my sign circuit switches, the tracks may be made of a much harder material than the balls and, therefore, when the latter become sufficiently worn to warrant replacement these spherical contacts may be easily replaced without the use of tools and without disturbing, even temporarily, any of the electrical connections.

While I have shown a separate circuit for each lamp 4 of the display area I, it will readily occur to those skilled in the art how each circuit may control a group of two or more lamps connected in parallel. In other words, each circle shown in Fig; 1 may represent two or more lamps connected in parallel.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A system of the character described, comprising a rectangular field of illuminable lamps adapted to produce the effect of illuminated letters travelling therethrcugh, circuits therefor terminating in terminal members, circuit control means for establishing predetermined character permutations representing said letters, a storing device having contact members selectable in accordance with said'p'ermutations and including a rectangular movable system corresponding to the field of lamps for visibly arranging and movably associating said contact members with said terminal members, driving means for moving said movable system including the contact members while maintaining the selected contact members in visible, letter formation on said rectangular moving system in correspondence to the illuminated letters on said rectangular field of lamps.

2. A system of the character described, comprising a plurality of illuminablelamps, circuits therefor terminating in terminal members, con-' trol means for establishing predetermined character permutations, means for operating said control means, a storing device having contact members selectable in accordance with said permutameans for moving said moving system, and means responsive to the operation of said control means for stopping the movement of said moving systern and the operation of said control means while maintaining said contact members visibly stored in the selected permutations.

3. In a sign system of the class described, the combination of lamps arranged in display formation, circuit controlling means for the lamps, including a plurality of stationary contacts one for each lamp, a member movable in proximity to said stationary contacts, and contacts adapted to be selectively arranged on said member for coaction with the stationary contacts, means'for moving the movable member, selecting means for selectively arranging said contacts .on said member, a movable perforated tape record, means cooperating with the perforations in the tape for controlling the selective means, means for moving the tape past the cooperating means, tape perforating and supplying means, means controlled by the slack in the portion of the tape between the supplying means and the cooperating means for controlling the movement of the movable member and means controlled by the movement of the movable member for controlling the tape moving means in synchronism therewith.

4. In a sign system of the class described, the combination of lamps arranged in display formation, circuit controlling means for the lamps, including a plurality of stationary contacts one for each lamp, a member movable in proximity of said stationary contacts, and means on said member adapted to be selectively arranged for coac tion with the stationary contacts; means for moving the movable member, selecting means for selectively arranging said means on said member, a movable perforated tape record, means cooperating with the perforations in the tape for controlling the selective means, means for moving the tape past the cooperating means, tape perforating and supplying means, means controlled by the slack in the portion of the tape between the supplying means and the cooperating means for controlling the movement of the movable member, and means controlled by the movement 01' the movable member for controlling the tape moving means in synchronism therewith.

5. In a sign system of the class described, the combination of lamps arranged in display formation, circuit controlling means for the lamps, including a plurality of stationary contacts one for each lamp, a member movable in proximity of said stationary contacts, and contacts adapted to be selectively arranged on said member for coaction with the stationary contacts; means for moving the movable member, selecting means for selectively arranging said contacts on said member, a movable perforated tape record, means cooperating with the perforations in the tape for controlling the selective means, means for moving the tape past the cooperating means, tape perforating and supplying means, means controlled by the slack in the portion of the tape between the supplying means and the cooperating means for controlling the movement of the movable member, and electro-responsive means controlled by the movement of the movable member for intermittently controlling the tape moving means in synchronism therewith.

6. In a sign system, the combination of lamps arranged in display formation; circuit-controlling means for the lamps including a plurality of stationary contacts respectively connected to said lamps; a member movable in proximity of said contacts; a plurality of switching members on said movable member adapted to be selectively arranged for coaction with the stationary contacts; means for moving the movable member; selecting means for selectively arranging said switching members in character permutations; a movable tape record having message means thereon corresponding to said permutations;

message-responsive means cooperating with said record for controlling the selecting means; means for moving the tape past the message-responsive means; tape supplying means; means controlled by the slack in the portion of the tape between the supplying means and the message-responsive means for controlling the movement of the movable member and means controlled by the movement of the movable member for controlling the tape moving means in synchronism therewith.

7. The combination of lamps arranged in display formation; circuit-controlling means for the lamps including stationary contacts in respective connection with said lamps, a movable member in proximity of said stationary contacts and means on said member adapted to be selectively operated for coaction with the stationary contacts; means for moving the movable member; selecting means for selectively operating said means on said movable member a movable message element having message means thereon; message-responsive means, responsive to said message means, for' controlling the selecting means; means for-moving the message element past the message-responsive means; means responsive to a predetermined minimum amount of movable message element before the message-responsive means for controlling the movement of said movable member and of said message element moving means.

8. The combination of lamps arranged in display formation; circuit-controlling means for the lamps including stationary contacts in respective connection with said lamps, a movable member in proximity of said stationary contacts and means on said member adapted to be selectively operated for coaction with the stationary contacts; driving means for moving the movable member and engageable therewith by a clutch selecting means for selectively operating said means on said movable member; a movable message element having message means thereon; message-responsive means responsive thereto for controlling the selecting means; means for moving the message element past the message-responsive means; means responsive to a predetermined minimum amount of movable message element before said message-responsive means for controlling said clutch to disengage said driving means and said movable member.

9. The combination asset forth in claim 8; and additional means effective upon the disengaging of said clutch for controlling the operation of the said means for moving the message element.

10. The combination of lamps arranged in display formation; circuit-controlling means for the lamps including stationary contacts in respective connectionwith said lamps, a movable .A

member in proximityof said stationary contacts and means on said member adapted to be selectively operated for coaction with the stationary contacts; driving means for moving the movable ber; a movable message element bearing message means thereon; message-responsive means responsive thereto for controlling the selecting means; means for moving the message element past the message-responsive means; electrical contact means operable upon the motion of a predetermined minimum amount of said message element ahead of said message-responsive means for controlling said clutch to disengage said driving means and said movable member.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 4'7; and additional means effective upon the disengagin of said clutch for stopping said message element.

12. The combination of lamps arranged in display formation; circuit-controlling means for the lamps including stationary contacts respectively connected thereto; a movable member in proximity of said stationary contacts and means on' said member adapted to be selectively operated for coaction with the stationary contacts; driving means for moving the movable member and engageable therewith by a clutch; selecting means for selectively operating the means on said movable member; a movable message-element having message means thereon, message-responsive means responsive thereto for controlling the selecting means; means for moving the message-element past the message-responsive means;

keyboard message-element preparing and supplying means; means controlled by a predetermined amount of message-element between the supplying means and the message-responsive means for controlling the said movement of the movable member.

13. The combination of lamps arranged in display formation; circuit-controlling means for the lamps including stationary contacts in respective connection with said lamps, a movable member in proximity of said stationary contacts and means on said member adapted to be selectively operated for coaction with the stationary contacts; driving means for moving the movable member and engagable therewith by a connecting member; selecting means for selectively operating said means on said movable member; a movable message element having message means thereon; message-responsive means responsive thereto for controlling the selecting means; means for moving the message element past the message-responsive means; means responsive to a predetermined minimun amount of movable message ele-' ment before said message-responsive means for controlling said connecting member to disengage said driving means and said movable member.

IRVING NACHUMBOHN. 

